Selecting the Springbok team to face France in the first Test at Loftus on Saturday was a tough exercise for coach Allister Coetzee as he had to perform a delicate balancing act.
Coetzee included debutants Andries Coetzee‚ Raymond Rhule‚ Courtnall Skosan and Ross Cronje in his starting line-up in a team that was made up of locally based players with seven coming from the Lions.
The fifth uncapped player‚ Dillyn Leyds‚ will start from the bench while No 8 Warren Whiteley will become the 58th Springbok captain.
Ross Cronje will be South Africa’s 50th Test scrumhalf.
Speaking at the press conference where he announced the team‚ Coetzee said he had to start somewhere and he understands that there will a few players who feel they deserved a place in the starting fifteen or on the bench.
“It wasn’t easy but I had to start somewhere and make the calls.
"Some of the players may feel unlucky not to have made the starting line-up or the 23 but I am happy with the way these players are pushing for positions.
"One has to look at the amount of caps‚ nor does this mean caps play rugby‚ but at the end I had to look for balance‚” he said.
Taking on the unpredictable French with a largely inexperienced team is not going to be easy but Coetzee has requested his players to seize the moment and show what they can do at this level.
“Becoming a Sprinbok is an emotional experience but what is important for the debutants is to channel their emotions in the right way by making sure that they are certain what to do‚” he said‚ adding that he has confidence in Whiteley who will lead from the front with the help of other leaders in the side.
“One thing that Warren will understand best is how to make sure that those uncapped players feel at ease when playing in front of a couple of thousands of spectators out there.
"Last year‚ some of them where overawed by the experience and could not get going and he will understand that and make sure that he gets the best out of them.
"Warren is a captain that looks at the smallest details and he will look at the wider picture while the rest of the leaders with him take care of the small things.
"There is quite a relaxing feeling in the camp among the uncapped players which is good. They will make mistakes but there is energy and intensity which is what I am looking forward to see on Saturday.”
Springbok Team:
15. Andries Coetzee‚ 14. Raymond Rhule‚ 13. Jesse Kriel‚ 12. Jan Serfontein‚ 11. Courtnall Skosan‚ 10. Elton Jantjies‚ 9. Ross Cronje‚ 8. Warren Whiteley‚ 7. Oupa Mohoje‚ 6. Siya Kolisi‚ 5. Franco Mostert‚ 4. Eben Etzebeth‚ 3. Frans Malherbe‚ 2. Malcolm Marx‚ 1. Tendai Mtawarira
Replacements: 16. Bongi Mbonambi‚ 17. Steven Kitshoff‚ 18. Coenie Oosthuizen‚ 19. Pieter-Steph du Toit (DHL Stormers)‚ 20. Jean-Luc du Preez‚ 21. Francois Hougaard‚ 22. Frans Steyn‚ 23. Dillyn Leyds
- TMG Digital/TMG Sport
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